Well-sinking apparatus.



AA. T. CHAPMAN.

WELL summe APPARATUS.

' APPLICATION FILED MAY18, B914.

Patented Apr. 30,1918.

a SHEETS-SHEET 2.

EVVINTQM M. T. CHAPMAN.

WELL smKlNG APPHATus.

APPLICATION H LED MAY 13| |914.

- Patented Apr. 30, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3 v ,Q5 76 @zines/asf;

9W Q m im. `Ji.

rrArrHnw r. cHArMAN, or AunonA, 'rritrrtors WELL-SINKING- APP l'.

memes.

To all 'whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, MA'r'rHEw T. CHAP- MAN, a citizenl of the UnitedStates, resid- .ing at Aurora, in the county of Kane and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inWell-Sinking Apparatus, of which the following 4is a specification,reference being had to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to well-sinking apparatus 'and has for its objectthe improvement of devices of this type whereby .their operation may bemade mdre eective and more rapid.` rlhe means by which l haveaccomplished this. object vare illustrated in 'of apparatus shownv inFigs. 2 and 3, .but

showing it 'equipped with a diderent form of operating device; a

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the form of device shown 'in Fig. 4,partly broken away i and partly in central vertical section; Fig. 6 is aside elevation of apart of the equipment to be used in connection withthe form of apparatus shown in Fig. 1; f

Fig. 7 is a top or plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 6;

Figs. 8 and 9 are detail views showing the wedges used in the`constructions of Figs. A and 5;

Fi 9 is a ,cross-section. on line 9*1 of Fig. 9.

lReferring to the drawingsf-T A Fig. 1 represents the form of device Vllpreferto use embodying in one complete,

structure a turntable adapted to be equipped with two separate grippingmeans by which a boring-pipe can be rotated,'bth of which separate meanscan be used at the same time, if desired. Figs. A and 5 represent a,

modified form of turntable equipped' with my improved means for holdingthe-'boringpipe against turning when lowerin into the well orwithdrawing therefrom a.l ong line lSpecification of Letters Patent. y

ATUS.

., retreated Apr. ao, iai.

Application led May 18, 191A. Serial No. 889,389.

of boringpipes, and alsov equipped with means for driving a suitablewrench for gripping the upper section of boring-pipe for rotating it.Figs. 2 and 3 represent the, same turntable as that shown in Figs. 4 and5, but showing it equipped with a diderent type of turning means adaptedforuse in drllling. inasmuch as many -of the details of the constructionillustrated in Fig. 1 are the same as those of the constructionillustrated in Figs. 2 to 5, ll have not deemed it necessary toillustrate in detail the structure of Fig. 1, which will be readilyunderstood Vfrom my descriptionof the. same dea vices in connection withFigs. 2y to 5. I wilL' therefore,.irst describe the construction .of

of Fig. 1 is the preferred construction.

' Referring. now"to Figs.`2 to 5 and Figs. 8, 9 and 92425 indicates aframework, of any suitable type, located at the upper end of a.v well,having mounted thereon a bed-- plate 26. Rising from the upper faceofthe '70 Figs 2 to 5, even though the construction bed-plate 26 is aheavy, circular ring or base 27, upon the upper edge of which issuitably mounted a turntable or rotary 28 which comprises adownwardly-extending' sleeve 29 inside of the base 27. Annular bearingrings 30 and 31 with anti-friction rollers 33 interposed between themare used between the rotary 28 and the upper edge of the base 27, thering 31 being in the form of an angle-iron or steel with a verticalflange rising from the outer edge.

As best shown in Fig. 3, the sleeve 29 of the rotary 28 is provided nearits lower edge with an annular groove 33 into which a block 34 isadapted to be moved by'means Y of a set-screw 35 mounted in the base 27at onev sideI thereof. As will be readily undertood, the block 34 servesto 'hold Athe sleeve 9 locked down in position relative to the base 27.If desired, a plurality of such locking devices maybe used.

The rotary 28.is provided at each side with uupright posts 36 ,removablymounted in sultable sockets in said rotary, as is ordinary practice' inmachines of 4this type.

The rotary is also provided on its unde face with an annular gear 37with which meshes a gear 38 fixed upon one end of .a shaft 39 jourraledin a suitable bearing 40y rising from the .bed-plate. As will be readilyunas p' derstood, uponthe .application of power to a the rotary 28 willthe shaft 39 in one direction or the other,

lbe rotated in a corresponding direction.

' Coming now to the meansfor turning the boring-pipe for boringpurposes,41 indi- `catesa boring-pipe extending down into the well,having connected. to its upper end a l boring-bar 42` by means of ascrew-threaded ing-bar 42 is provided with a longitudinal openingtherethrough communicating with the interior of the hollow pipe sections41, whereby a supply of water may be lied through'the string ofboring-pipes to the drill at its lower end for washing up the borin s asthe work progresses.

" Re erring-now especially to Figs. 4 and l5,--it will be noted that theplate '46' is removed from the rotary, a plate 49 being substituted, theplate 49 being mounted in the bed-plate 26 or the base 27 and being heldagainst `rotation by means of a plurality of teeth 50 engaging suitablenotches 51. l The plate 49 has vrising from it a housl ing 52 whichiscored out conically, as best shown in Fig. 5, for slidably supportinga plurality' of slips in the `torm of wedges 53 about the boring-pipe41. In the construction shown, four wedges are used, and that is thenumber I prefer to employ. Each of the wedges 53 is. provided with a T-4shaped rib 54 adapted to slide freely.v in a vsuitable groove in` thehousing 52, whereby the wedgesare moved toward and away from theboringpipe-as they are moved up and down longitudinallyof theboring-pipe. a

Aswill be appreciated from' an inspection of Flgs. 4 and 5', the wedges53 are of two different types,rone having teeth extending .verticallyas'shown' in Fig. 8, and the other having teeth extending horizontallyas shown in Fig. 9, the two types of wedges being arranged alternatelyabout the housing 52. .-By this arrangement two wedges havingvertically-extending teeth are provided diametrically opposite eachother adapted to hold the boring-pipe 41-against rotation relative tothe housing, and two bf the wedges having horizontally-extendv ing teethare located diametrically opposite eachother adapted to hold thelboring-pipe against downward movement into the-well. As best shown inFig. 5, 55 indicates a plate bolted to the plate 50 and revolublysupporting a conical shell 56 by means of a hub 5 7 connected therewith.The shell 456 is pro-l vided also with an annular gear 58 meshing with agear 59 fixed upon.a short shaft 60 journaled in the housing 52 at oneside thereof. The shaft 60 is provided at lts outer end with a socketedhead 61 adapted to be rotated or rocked through the medium of a shaft 62slidably mounted in a'suitable bearing in the base 27 and -in a standard63 rising from the bed-plate 26. The shaft 62 is provided at its outerend with a turningdevice 64 oit'l any approved type, by

which the shafts 62 and 60 can be rotated for turning the gears 58 andthe shell 56 on a vertical axis about the boring-pipe 41. l

As is best shown in Fig. 9, the wedges 53 are provided withoutwardly-,projecting pins 65, shown diagrammatically in Fig. 5 asworking in diagonally-positioned slots 6G in the vshell 56, `wherebysaid wedges are raised and lowered by an appropriate turning of the saidshell.

The wrench used for turning the upper end of two united sections ofboring-pipe in l connection with the holding means shown in .Fig 5,comprises two handles 67-68 (see Figs. 10 and 11) .adapted to be engagedby the upright posts 36 of the rotary for turning' purposes. Theconstruction of the wrench is suchvthat it is adapted to bind tightlyupon the boring-pipe for causing the pipe to. rotate with the rotary.

' With the turntable 28 providedwith the plate 46, as-shown in Fig. 3,and with the boring-pipe 42 connected by means of a coupling 43 with theboring-pipe 41, upon the application of power to the shaft 39 theboring-pipe will be rotated for boring purposes, as will be readilyunderstood, the engagement .gf the boring-pipe 42 with the rotary 28bein such that the boring-pipe l41 can rise and fa l freely relative tothe rotary. When boring has progressed so as to bring the upper end ofthe boring-bar approximately to the plate 46 ofthe rotary, theboring-bar will be disconnected from the .boring-pipe 41 and anothersection of boring-pipe will be interposed between the boring `bar andthe line of connected sections of boring-pipe. Whenever in the use ofthe devices heretofore described it is desired to remove the whole'lineof boring-pipe sections from the well, the plate 46 is removed and theplate 49 is placed in position as `shown in Figs. 4 and 5, theboring-bar 42 being also laid aside-for the time being. The line ofboring-pipe sections is then raised' by means of hoisting means (notshown) to bring one of the couplings 43 between two sectionsv of theboring-pipe into theuposition shown in Fig. 5. The weight of the wedges53 is such that they automatically settle into gripping position -tohold the section of pipe both against longitudinal Lasarte y am movementand against rotation. By the use of a wrench placed in position upon thesection above the coupling 43 the upper section of boring-pipe isunscrewed from the lower section and laid aside for future use. The lineof boring-pipe sections is then raised by fineans` of any suitable meansto bring another of the couplings 43 into the position shown in Fig. 5,the wedges 53 being adapted to give upward to permit the passage of thecoupling, whereupon the operation as just described is repeated. Forplacing the line of`boring-pipes in the well, thev operationissubstantially the reverseof that just described, the rotary beingdriven in the opposite direction with the wrench inverted so as to turnthe successive upper" sections for screwing the sections togetherinstead .of for unscrewing them. In order to move the wedges 53 apart topermit the passage of the couplings 43 downward be tween the wedges, theturning-device 64 1s to be rotated, as will be readlly understood,-

turning the shell 56 and forcing the wedges upward and outward. Upon thepassage of one or more couplings 43, as desired, the turning-device 64is re easedto permit thev A' Wedges 53 to settle into grippingposition,

as will be readily understood. Upon the completion of the installationofthe boringpipes in position,l the plate 49 will be removed and theyplate 4 6 and the boring-bar 42l will be placed in position ready forlthe work of boring to proceed.

Coming now to Figs. 1, 6, and 7, which show the preferred orm ofconstruction, the correspondin parts are indicated by the 'same,reference c aracters fbutj with the 4ad- 74 being substituted thereforhaving acon-l dition of an exponent a. In this construction, the rotary28 is dispensed with a rotary siderably greater vertical height than thelli ushown in Fig. l a top rotary 28 so asvto brin the upperclosureplate of the rotary suii'ciently above the bed-` plate that theplate v49V and the parts carried thereby can be retained in positiondurof the plate 75 is substituted for the collar 44 of the constructionfirst described, the.

' ff plate t7 being provided with a collar or hub 78corresponding in ageneral wayl to the collar 44- andada ted to Work with the-boring-bar inprecise the same manner. The wrench illustrate in Fig. l also di'ersslightly from that shown in Figg, but they operation is, generallyspeaking, the same.

llnasmuch as the operation of the device ofl construction employing twopairs of oppo- 'extending ring, a rotary mounted thereon 'comprlslng asleeve extending down inside 'of said rlng, means at one side of saidbase Fig. 1 is the same as that ofthe device o Figs. 2 to 5, except thatit is not necessary to remove the' 'plate 49n when the device is to beused for boring purposes or to remove the plate when the device is to beused 70 for withdrawmg or replacing a line of boring pipes, it isbelieved that it is unnecessary to further describe the operationherein.

While I have shown in my drawings a sitely-disposed coperating wedges,it Will beunderstood that I do not wish to limit myself to thatconstruction except as hereinafter specilically claimed.: Such aconstruction comprises a wedge (either of the Wedges) provided withsuitable coperating lneans (the other Wedge) -for accomplishing thedesired result. It will be understood t that I do not Wish to claim asecond wedge as the coperating means except as particularly specified.

. That which I claim asmy invention, andV desireto secure by LettersPatent, is,-

l: In a well-sinking apparatus, the combinatlon of a base in the form ofan upwardlyengaging said rotary for driving it, and a block mounted insaid base and working in a groove in said, sleeve for locking said-rotary in position upon said base.

2. In a well-sinking apparatus, the combination of a .base in the1 formof an upwardlyextending ring, a. rotary mounted thereon comprising asleeve extending down inside of said ring, means at one side of saidbase engaging said rotary for driving it, a block mounted in Said baseand working in j a groove in said sleeve for locking said rotary inposition.`upon said base, and adjustable means for moving said blockinto and out of operativeengagement with said groove. 3. In awell-sinking apparatus, the combination of a base, a rotary revolublymounted thereon, means for driving said rotary, a plate removablymounted in said base, means carried by said plate for holding a sectionof 'boring-pipe against rotation, '.a'second plate removably `mounted 1nsaid rotary, and 115 means carried by said second plate for 'holdinganother sectionl of 4boring-pipe against rotation relative to saidrotary.

4. In a Well-sinking apparatus,the combination of a base, a rotaryrevolubly mounted 120 thereon,l means for driving said rotary, a plateremovably mounted in said base at its lower end, means carried by saidplate for holding a section of boring-pipe against rotation, a secondplate removably mounted 125 in the upper end of said-rotary, and meanscarried by said plate rfor holding another section of boring-pipeagainst rotation relative to the rotary.

5. In a well-sinking apparatus, thecombi-l 130 nation of a base, arotary revolubly mounted thereon, means for -driving said rotary, meansCarried around by the rotary for rotating a section of boring-pipe, agrippingblock, stationary supporting means having adiagonally-positioned slideway for said gripping-block whereby saidblock is movable diagonally down and up toward and away from saidboring-pipe, a shell revolubly mounted about said rippingblock, meansforrotating said she 1, means operated by the rotation of said shell forraising said gripping-block out of Contact with said boring-pipe, andmeans coperating with said gripping-block for holding said boring pipeagainst downward movement.

6. In a'welll-sinking apparatus, the combination of a base, a rotaryrevolubly mountedv thereon, means for driving said rotary,

means carried around by the rotary .for r0- tating a section ofboring-pipe, grippingblocks, stationary supporting means havindiagonally-positioned -slideways for sai gripping-blocks, a shellrevolubly mounted about said gripping-blocks, means for rotating saidshell, and pins mounted on said gripping-blocks engaging diagonallypositioned slots in said shell whereby the rotation of said shell servesto raise said gripping-blocks out of Contact with said boringpipe.

In a' well-sinking apparatus, the combination of a base, a rotaryrevolubly mounted thereon, means for driving said rotary, means carriedaround'by the rotary for rotatin a section of boring-pipe, a housingremova ly mounted on said base and provided with diagonally-positionedslideways, and downwardly-tapering wedges 'mounted in said housing andslidable up and .down in said slideways. v

8. In a well-sinking apparatus, the combination of a base, a rotaryrevolubly mounted thereon, means for driving said rota'ry, means carriedaround by the rotary -for ro- -tating a section of borin -pipe, ahousing mounted on said base, a p urality .of downwardly-tapered wedgessupported within said housing and adapted to settle into lockingengagementJ with a boring-pipe extending through the housing, a shellrevolubly mounted about the lower `ends of said if wedges, means forrotating said shell, and pins mounted on said wedges working indiagonally-positioned slots in said shell whereby a lpartial rotation ofsaid shell serves to lift said wedges out of contactwith saidboring-pipe.

9. In a well-sinking apparatus, thecombination of a base, a rotaryrevolubly mounted thereon, means for driving said rotary, means carriedaround by the rotary for rotating a section of boring-pipe, a housingmounted on said base, a plurality of downwardly-tapered wedges supportedby said housing and adapted to lsettle into locking engagement with aboring-pipe extending through the housing, a shell revolubly mountedabout the lower, ends of said wedges, an annular gear mounted upon saidshell, pins carried by said wedges working in diagonally-positionedslots in said shell whereby a partial rotation of said shell serves toraise said wedges out of contact with said boring-pipe, a second gearmeshing with said rst-mentioned gear, a shaft upon which said secondgear is mounted, and means removably connected with said shaft forrotating the same.

10. In a well-slnking apparatus, the combination of a base, a rotaryrevolubly mounted thereon, means for d riving said rotary, means carriedaround by the rotary for rotating a section of boring-pipe, and grippinymeans mounted in diagonally-positione slide ways on `said base' adaptedto automatically grip said pipe for supporting the pipe v and holding itagainst rotation.

11. In a well-sinking apparatus, the combination of a base, a rotaryrevolubly mounted thereon, means'for driving said rotary, means carriedaround by the rotary for'rotating a section of boring-pipe, a housingsupported from said base provided with diagonally-positioned slide ways,and grippinfr means mounted in said slide ways adapted to automaticallygrip said pipe for supporting the pipe and holding it against rotation.

12. In a well sinking apparatus, the combination of a base, a rotaryrevolubly mounted on said base, means for driving said rotary, meanscarried aroundl by the rotary for rotating a section of pipe, aplurality of wedges each having a T-shaped rib on its outer face, and astationary hous- Iing supported from said base having diagobination of abase, a rotary revolubly 3 mounted thereon, means for dr1v1ng saldrotary, means carried around by the rotary or rotating a section ofborin ring having a downwardly tapermg opening non-revolubly mountedwlthin -the rotary,a and wedges in said ring adapted to engage asectionofthe boring pipe extending throul h said rotary.

14. n a well sinking apparatus, the combination of a base, a rotaryrevolubly mounted thereon, means for driving said rotary, means carriedaround by the rotary for rotating a section of boring pipe, a ringhaving a downwardly tapering openmg pipe, a

' tending vertically through said saidrotary, a funnel-shaped ringnon-rotathe combination of a base,

Laminat' non-revolubly mounted-within the rotary,

wedges in said ring adapted to engage asection vof the boring pipeextending through said base, and a stationary means for moving-saidwedges into and out of contact with said boring pipe whereby said boringpipe may be held against movement relative to said ring.

15. In a well sinking apparatus, the bination of a base, a rotaryrevolubly mounted thereon, means for vdriving said rotary, means carriedaround by the rotary for rotating a section of boring pipe, a funnel-shaped ring non-rotatably mounted upon said base, wedges slidablymounted in said ring adapted to move inward into 'contact withv saidpipe as they move downward in' said ring, meansy serving to move saidwedgesv outward .out of contact with said pipe as they are moved upward,and means for moving said wedges upward or downward in unison.

16. In a rotary well sinking apparatus, the combination rotary, meanscarried around by the rotary for rotating a section of boring-pipeexbase and tably mounted upon said base about said p ipe, wedgesslidably fitted in the hollow ring adapted to engage said pipe forhold-ying t. against downward .movement and against rotation, and means formoving said wedges in unison either upward and outward or downward andinward.

17. In a rotary well sinking apparatus, the combination of, a base, arotary revolubly mounted thereon, means for driving said rotary, meanscarried around bythe rotary .for rotating a section of boringpipeextending vertically through said base and said rotary, a`funnel-shaped. ring non-rotatably mounted upon said base about saidpipe, wedges slidably fitted in the hollow ring adapted to engage saidpipeior holding 1t against downward' movement and,

against rotatiomand rotary means for moving said wedges in unison eitherupward or downward in said ring serving to move the wedges outwardl asthey rise and to move them inward las the descend. n

18. In a rotary well sinking apparatus,

a rotary revolubly mounted thereon, means ir'or driving said rotary,means ,carried around by the rotary for rotating a section ofboring-pipe extending vertically through said base and said rotary, afunnel-shaped ring non-rotatably mounted upon said base about said pipe,wedges slidably fitted in the hollow rin adapted to Iengage said pipefor holding it against downward movement and against.

rotation, and means revolubly mounted of a base, a--rotaryrevoluQ blymounted thereon, means for driving saidv about said wed es havingdiagonallyfpositioned slots w ich engage said wedges whereby upon therotation of said means in one direction said wedges 'are moved upward inunison out of engagement with the pipe and upon rotation in the oppositedirection said wedges are moved downwardl in unison into engagement withsaid pipe.

19. In a rotary well sinking apparatus, i

the combination of a base, a rotary revolubly mounted on said base,means for driving said rotary,4means carried around by the rotary forrotating a section of boring- 'pipe extending vertically through saidbaseand said rotary, a funnel-shaped housing non-rotatably mounted uponsaid vbase about said pipe, wedges slidably mounted in the hollowhousing adapted tobe moved downward and inward. into engagement withsaid pipe or upward and outward out of engagement, rotary means by therotation of which said we ges are moved up and down in said housing,anda shaft mounted on said base and removably connected with said rotarywedge-moving means for driving the same.

20. In a rotary well sinking apparatus,

the combination of a `-base, a rotar revolubly mounted on said base,means or driving said rotary, means carried around by the rotary forrotating a section of boring-pipe extending vertically through said baseand said rotary, a 'funnel-shaped housing nonrotatably mounted upon saidbase about said pipe, wedges slidably mounted in the hollow housingadapted to be moved downward and inward intolengagement with said pipe'or upwardand outward out of engagement, a

rotary member for moving said wedges up and down in unison,a short shaftmounted on said base, and gearing between said shaft and said rotarymember for rotating said member through the medium of' said shaft.

ioo

21. In a rotary well sinking apparatus,

the combination ofa base, a rotary revolubly mounted on said base, meansfor driving said rotary, means carried around by the rotary for rotatinga section of boring-pipe and a `second shaft slidably mounted on saidbase and detachably connected with said first-named shaft. y

22. In a rotary well sinking aparatus, the

pipe, wedges slidably mounted in the hollow housing adapted to be moveddownward and inward into engagement with said pipe or upward and outwardout of engagement, a rotary shell surrounding the lower ends of saidwedges within said housing and adapted by its rotation to move saidwedges up and down in unison, gearing connected with said shell forrotating it, and a short shaft mounted on said base and detachablyconnected with said gearing for operating the same. c

23. Irl/'improvements of the character disclosed, the combination, witha rotary table, a boring string, and means for connecting said tablewithsaid boring string for rotating it; of means for supporting the stringadapted to engage the same at any point of its length and to so supportthe string independently of the table; said table being provided with abase upon which the table is rotatively supported; saidmeansforsupporting the string being applied to the string and to saidbase; said string-supporting means consisting of slips.

.24. In a well sinking apparatus, the combination of a base, a rotary.revolubly mounted on said base, meansfor driving said rotary, meanscarried around by the rotary for rotating an upper section of boringpipe,

a wedge, and means non-rotatably mounted relative to said base adaptedto coperate with said wedge for holding a lower section of boring pipeagainst rotation.

25.In a well sinking apparatus, the combination of a base, -a rotaryrevolubly mounted on said base, means for driving said rotary, meanscarried around by the rotary Y for rotating an upper section of boringpipe,

means mounted within said rotary and held against rotation relative tolthe base, and wedges lsupported by said non-rotatable means adapted toengage a lower section of gagement with the pipe.

27. In a well sinking apparatus, the combination of means for turning anupper section of boring pipe, and means for holding a lower section ofsaid pipe against turning,

comprising a wedge-shaped gripping block having an angular seat wherebyupon an upward movement Said block is carried away from said pipe, a camdevice engaging said gripping device, and means for operating said camfor moving the gripping block out of operative engagement with the pipe.

MATTHEW T. CHAPMAN. Witnesses: s

AW. H. DE BUSK, W. A. FURNNER.

